Poultry waterer



Dec. 20, 1966 B. B. PATRICK 3,292,588

POULTRY WATERER Filed Sept. 2l, 1965 Fl G. a

40g 44 'rg-,50 O 4% Z -v-n/ 54 United States Patent Otitce 3,292,588 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 3,292,588 POULTRY WATERER Benjamin B. Patrick, 204 Candle Ave., Springdale, Ark. 72764 Filed Sept. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 488,868 1 Claim. (Cl. 119-74) This invention relates to poultry waterers, and particularly to a drinking fountain for baby chicks.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a practical and eicien-t device of the kind indicated, the use of which eliminates the labor, otherwise involved, of servicing and lling separate drinking water containers, such as jars and bases.

Another object of the invention is the'provision of a sanitary and easily cleaned device of the character indicated above, which involves one or more perforated drinking tubes, leading from a single closed water container or reservoir, Athe container having float valve means for dispensing water to the tube' or tubes as the water level therein subsides below a level ac cessible to the chicks, whereby the device is characterized by being constantly available for drinking by the chicks, while the container contains water, and by preventing contamination of the water by other animals or by dirt, and, reducing loss of water by spillage and/ or evaporation.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character indicated above, of closure and clean-out brush assemblies for the drinking tubes.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a device of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section, taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, taken through the outer end of one of the drinking tubes;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of a closure and brush assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated device comprises a closed, preferably generally rectangular hollow water container or reservoir 10, having a bottom wall 12, adapted to rest upon the ground, or other supporting surface, Vend walls 14, and opposed side walls 16 and 18. As shown in FIGURE 1, the end walls 14 preferably converge toward the side wall 18. The container has a horizontal top wall 20, formed with an access opening 22, surrounded by an upstanding flange 24, having an inturned bead 26 extending therearound. The opening 22 is closed by a close-fitting pan-shaped cover 28, which telescopes into the bead 26, and has a lateral flange 30, adapted to bear upon the bead 26.

The container 10 is preferably made of transparent plastic material, through which the level of the water therein and the state of cleanliness of the container can be readily seen, with a view to timely replenishing of the water and/or cleaning of the container.

The container 10 can be filled through the opening 22, if desired, but is preferably kept supplied automatically with water by means of a hose or pipe 32, leading from a suitable source of water, and connected, as indicated at 34, to a fitting 36 secured to and through the container side wall 16.

The container end Walls 14 are each formed, in a lower part thereof, with preferably integral lateral horizontal nipples 38, over which are tightly engaged the inner ends of preferably plastic material drinking tubes 40. The

drinking tubes are preferably of cylindrical cross section and are longitudinally elongated, to rest upon the ground and to extend for substantial distances therealong away from related ends of the container 10. The tubes 40 have side walls 42, formed in their tops with equally longitudinally spaced drinking holes 44, of a diameter to render water present in the tubes readily accessible Ato baby chicks standing on the ground adjacent to the tubes. The drinking tubes 40, asshown in FIGURE 1, are preferably disposed in long arcs, curved toward the side of the water container 10, remote from the water supply fitting 36, but can be bent to other conformations, as desired.

The drinking tubes 40 have open outer ends 46, which are adapted to bc removably closed by resilient and cornpressible closure plugs 48, as shown in FIGURE 4, the plugs 48 being components of closure and brush assemblies 50.

The assemblies 50 comprise relatively stili non-corrosive material wires 52, having handle eyes 54, on their cuter ends, which cooperate with fixed collars 56, in holding the plugs 48 in place on the wires, the wires being extended through the plugs, as indicated at 58. At their inner ends, the wires 52 are twisted, as indicated at 60, so as to secure surrounding cylindrical brushes 62 thereon. As indicated in FIGURE 5, the assemblies 50 are of such a length that, with the plugs 48 engaged in the outer ends of the tubes 40, -the brushes 62 are located close to the container water outlet nipples. With this arrangement, the tubes 40 are easily and quickly cleaned, whenever desired, simply by withdrawing the closure plugs 48 from the outer ends of the tubes, and using the handle eyes 54, Working the brushes 62 back and forth in the Atubes 40.

For controlling the level of water in the container 10, and hence in the drinking tubes, a float valve assembly 64 is provided within the container, in association with the water inlet tting 36. The valve assembly 64 comprises a `tubular horizontal valve body 66, having a threaded shank 68 extending out through an opening 70, provided in the lower part of the containers side wall 16, onto which the litting 36 is threaded, as indicated at 72. An enlarged diameter head 74, on the Valve body 66, is opposed to the inner surface of the wall 16, and a sealing washer 76 is interposed between the fitting 36 and the outer side of the wall 16, around the opening 70. The head 74, is inwardly tapered, as indicated at 78, to a reduced diameter valve seat 80, surrounding the bore 82, of the body 66.

A vertical bracket plate 84 engages the inner surface of the container wall 16 around the opening 70, is formed with an opening 86, passing the valve body shank 68, and is interposed between the head 74 and the wall 16. The plate 84 is formed, at one side of the valve body 66, with a lateral vertical flange 88, on whose lower end is an inwardly extending arm 90.

A valve 92 comprises a reclining L-shaped form having a horizontally elongated arm 96 and a pendant vertical arm 98, on the end of the arm 96, adjacent to the valve seat 80. At its lower end, the pendant arm 98 is formed with a pivot eye 100, which is freely engaged through a hole 102, provided in the bracket arm 90, whereby the form is free to swing upwardly and downwardly in the container 10. A float body 104 is secured to the underside of the horizontal arm 96, as by means of a bolt 106. The valve 92 further comprises a resilient and compressible valve seat closure pad 108, extending along the side of the pendant arm 98, facing the valve seat 80, and secured in place, as by means of a rivet 110.

In operation, as shown in FIGURE 3, when the water in the container 10 subsides below a level at which the drinking tubes 40 are provided with adequate levels of drinking water therein, the float body 104 falls below a horizontal position, so that the valve pad 108 is with- 3 drawn from the valve seat S0, and water is admitted into the container, through the tting 36 and the valve body 66. When a predetermined level of water in the container 10 and in the drinking tubes 40 has been obtained in this mannen the float body rises and the valve pad 108 engages and closes the valve seat 80.

What is claimed is:

A device of the character described, comprising a water container, at least one drinking tube connected at its inner end in communication with the container, said tube being formed in its top with drinking opening means, said tube having an open outer end, and a closure and clean-out assembly for the drinking tube, said assembly comprising an elongated relatively stiff non-corrosive wire 1having Y permanently attached to its inner end 'a clean-out brush and having a handle eye projecting from its outer end, and a resilient and compressble plug circumposed about said wire inwardly of and contiguous to said handle eye and secured to said handle eye, said assembly being disposed within said tube so that the clean-out brush is adjacent to the inner end of saidtube and the plug is ex teriorly of and is removably engaged in the open outer end of said tube kwith the handle eye exteriorly of the tube, the inner end of Vsaid tube being close to the container to thereby enable said brush to act as a lter and prevent any trash from being admitted to the container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 846,424 3/ 1907 Pelmulder 119-79 1,828,048 10/1931 Jevons 119-74 X 2,212,549 8/1940 Olson et al. 119-18 2,292,020 8/1942 Venolia 119-78 2,703,099 3/1955 Smallegan 1l978 X SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Examiner. 

